Over 400 School Dropouts Enrol in Second-Chance Education Programme in Eastern Equatoria
By Kidega Livingstone
More than 400 out-of-school youth have enrolled in the Accelerated Secondary Education Programme (ASEP) under the Pathways to Empowerment for Youth in South Sudan (P2E) project in Torit and Magwi counties, Eastern Equatoria State.
The learners have been enrolled at five ASEP centres: Dr. John Garang Memorial Secondary School, Torit Day Secondary School, Bishop Akio Memorial Secondary School, Magwi Secondary School, and Fula Secondary School.
The programme, implemented by Titi Foundation with funding from the Mastercard Foundation and led by War Child Canada, is designed to provide young people who dropped out of school with a second chance to complete their secondary education. It aims to equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue higher education, vocational training, and sustainable livelihoods.
In South Sudan, where conflict, displacement, poverty, and early marriage continue to interrupt education, the programme offers renewed hope to vulnerable youth seeking to rebuild their futures.
Speaking during the distribution of scholastic materials at Fula Secondary School in Nimule over the weekend, Titi Foundation’s Gender and Protection Manager, Ohucholi Patrick Oromo, said the organization is currently implementing ASEP in five learning centres across Torit and Magwi counties.
“We have completed the distribution of scholastic materials to learners in all five centres. These learners were identified from the community because we are targeting young people who were unable to complete their secondary education,” Patrick said.
He added that the foundation will continue supporting learners through additional interventions, including the distribution of hygiene kits and measures to improve school safety.
“We are also carrying out environmental assessments to safeguard learners while they are in school. Suggestion boxes have been placed in the schools to allow learners to provide feedback and report any concerns,” he said.
Raba Beatrice William, a learner at the Fula Secondary School ASEP Centre, expressed her excitement about returning to school after several years out of the education system.
“I dropped out of school several years ago, and today I am happy to receive scholastic materials that will support my education. I am grateful to be back in school and I am determined not to drop out again,” she said.Another learner, Opio Atware of the Magwi Secondary School ASEP Centre, said the programme had given him a new opportunity to complete his education.
“We will not disappoint Titi Foundation and the donors. We are committed to completing our secondary education now that we have been given a second chance,” he said.
The Pathways to Empowerment for Youth in South Sudan (P2E) project is a six-year initiative running from March 2025 to March 2031. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation, it is implemented by War Child Canada in partnership with Windle Trust International, Human Development Consortium, Titi Foundation, and UNHCR, alongside 14 refugee-led and community-based organizations.
The project seeks to expand access to quality education, vocational and tertiary training, and employment opportunities for refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, and vulnerable youth from host communities. It also promotes inclusive education, with a strong focus on supporting young women and persons with disabilities while strengthening education systems and institutional capacity across South Sudan.
